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McLaren Production Centre

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Opened by the Prime Minister on 17th November 2011, McLaren’s new Production Centre in Woking is the manufacturing facility for the McLaren MP4-12C super sports car. The design was developed to provide 34,500m2 internal area to meet the ethos set by Ron Dennis, Executive Chairman of McLaren Group and McLaren Automotive: “Our buildings make a powerful statement about what the McLaren Group stands for: performance, technology, inspired design, innovation and meticulous attention to detail, all while operating in sympathy with the environment.”

Key aspects to the design are its simplicity and the high level of repetition. A cross grid 18m, 21m, 21m, 21m and 18m was selected to optimise the working aisle widths beneath. These are then repeated on an 18m grid for 12 bays along the length of the building. Primary, secondary and tertiary beams were then optimised for these spans and repeated throughout the building.

Waterproofing was done using traditional tanking with a further level of protection being provided using a “delta membrane” beneath the final screedfloor. Any water ingress was then discharged into gulleys formed in the slab that drained to sumps at each end of the building. All other drainage was located in trenches formed in the basementslab to prevent any penetrations through the waterproofing layers.

The detailing of the key interfaces was carefully considered to meet the architectural, structural and building services aspiration and a prototype of a typical bay was fabricated and installed. On approval of the prototype was received, fabrication could commence and the steel was erected on site as the concrete box progressed.

Although the bulk of the internal steelelements are standardised, the perimeter of the building and the entrance drums are expressed to match the visual appearance of the Technology Centre. Elegantly detailed spiral stairs and viewing galleries were also added to enhance the visitors experience when entering from the Technology Centre.

In the majority of locations the steelwork is left exposed. These areas received a high quality painted finish that matched the paintquality of any architectural finishes to give a very clean and consistent aesthetic to the space. Ceilings are used to conceal the services along the main distribution spines that run the length of the building that incorporate acoustic absorbency to control the reverberation of the space. Detailing avoids ledges and recesses to help maintain a pristine environment in keeping with the cars and ethos of the company.

The building was designed in parallel with the development of the process equipment, and recesses and voids were left for these items that included double height paint booths, testing and washing booths. The inherent flexibility of steel allowed for minor modifications to be made on site to account for the final detailed interface that gave the team the confidence to proceed with the production of the steel frame before the detailed fit-out requirements were known.